SHOWDOWN

Earlier this season, the Wasilla Warriors edged the Colony Knights in a dual during the semifinals of the Alaska State Duals Championships. As the rivals prepared to meet in a dual meet again on Thursday, the Knights were looking to even the score.

Colony used a pair of key wins by freshmen to edge the Wasilla Warriors 35-30 during an afternoon dual in front of the Wasilla student body at Wasilla High. One Colony senior admitted it was nice to get a little bit of revenge.

“Payback,” Colony’s Kyle Boss said.

Freshman Wade Booth sealed the dual win for Colony with a 5-4 come-from-behind victory during the 103-pound class. Colony led 32-24 going into that match, and Booth — who used a reversal with 20 seconds in regulation to go ahead — gave the Knights an 11-point advantage in the dual, an insurmountable lead with one match left.

“If we would have lost the match, we would have lost the dual,” Boss said.

Booth, who came from behind and won in overtime during the finals of the Colony Invitational last Saturday, trailed early in the third period after Wasilla’s Shannon Carpenter used a takedown to take the 4-3 lead. But with his late reversal, Booth was able to win the match.

“We had to have that one,” Colony head coach Dave Booth said.

Arguably the biggest win, according to Booth, came at 189. Freshman Quace Wright beat Wasilla’s Adam Akelkok 5-0.

“We knew that it would come down to one match,” Booth said. “The difference was 189.”

The victory was Wright’s first over Akelkok, who pinned the freshman during the duals championships.

“We worked with Quace all week to wrestle that kid,” Booth said.

Wasilla took an 18-0 lead in the dual, winning its first three matches.

Nate McKimson accepted a forfeit win at 119 and Jed Diederich and Tyler Adams followed with consecutive pins.

Trailing by 18, Colony reeled off seven straight wins to take a 29-18 lead.

Nick Bassnett (145) and Joe Fujimoto (152) pinned opponents during that span, and Luke Faulkner (135) and Kyle Boss (160) won by major decision.

Avery Smith (140) and Nate Wolfe (171) also recorded wins during that stretch.

Renn Wright remains undefeated for the season after a 8-2 win in the heavyweight match.

Jake Johnson (215) and Ryker Steiner (112) also recorded victories for Wasilla.

Colony 35, Wasilla 30

Thursday, Wasilla High School

119 pounds — Nate McKimson, Was win by forfeit; 125 — Jed Diederich, Was p. Brooks Simmons, Col 3:06; 130 — Tyler Adams, Was p. Taylor Mulkins, Was 1:52; 135 — Luke Faulkner m.d. Chance Boatman, Was 13-4; 140 — Avery Smith, Col d. Christian Lowe, Was 6-1; 145 — Nick Bassnett, Col p. J. Kojin, Was 2:56; 152 — Joe Fujimoto, Col p. Daniel Wiggins, Was 0:32; 160 — Kyle Boss, Col d. Devron Jacobson, Was 12-1; 171 — Nate Wolfe, Col d. Yuiriy Makitrin, Was 8-5; 189 — Quace Wright, Col d. Adam Akelkok, Was 5-0; 215 — Jake Johnson, Was p. Ian MacKenzie, 1:30; 285 — Renn Wright, Col d. Ryan Pomrenke, Was 8-2; 103 — Wade Booth, Col d. Shannon Carpenter, Was 5-4; 112 — Ryker Stiener, Was p. Zack Vera, Col 2:49.